Isaiah 36 2

Isaiah 36:2 kjv

And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.

Isaiah 36:2 nkjv

Then the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And he stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller's Field.

Isaiah 36:2 niv

Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer's Field,

Isaiah 36:2 esv

And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field.

Isaiah 36:2 nlt

Then the king of Assyria sent his chief of staff from Lachish with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Assyrians took up a position beside the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.

Isaiah 36 verses

Isaiah 36 2 Meaning

Isaiah 36:2 details the precise moment of Assyria's direct confrontation with Jerusalem during Sennacherib's campaign. The verse identifies the Assyrian official, Rabshakeh, who was sent from Lachish (a recently conquered major Judean city) to Jerusalem. He arrives with a powerful army to intimidate King Hezekiah. Critically, the verse pinpoints the exact location outside Jerusalem's walls—by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field—a site pregnant with historical and prophetic significance, marking the commencement of an intense test of faith and resilience for the people of Judah.

Isaiah 36 2 Context

Isaiah 36 initiates a historical narrative that serves as a theological interlude within Isaiah's broader prophetic messages, detailing Sennacherib's 701 BCE invasion of Judah. Prior to this verse, the mighty Assyrian army, under Sennacherib, had successfully captured nearly all fortified Judean cities, leaving Jerusalem as the last bastion (Isa 36:1). This military campaign follows Hezekiah's spiritual reforms, yet also his past act of rebellion against Assyria and alliance with Egypt, incurring Sennacherib’s wrath (2 Kgs 18:7, 20). Verse 2 describes the final, dramatic phase of this confrontation, with Assyria sending a significant military presence directly to Jerusalem’s gates. The setting of this confrontation is deliberately chosen not only for strategic advantage regarding Jerusalem’s water supply but also for its profound historical resonance, deliberately setting the stage for a climactic test of Hezekiah's faith and God's power.

Isaiah 36 2 Word analysis

• And the king of Assyria: Referring to Sennacherib (Sanchēriyv), a ruthless and powerful ruler (705-681 BCE). His title melek-Ashur (מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר) signifies the leader of the ancient Near East's dominant military force, presented here as the human agent of Judah's suffering, yet ultimately an unwitting instrument in God's sovereign plan (Isa 10:5-6).
• sent Rabshakeh: Rabshakeh (רַבְשָׁקֵה, Ravshakeh) is an Assyrian official title, likely "chief cupbearer" or "chief of staff," signifying a high-ranking officer entrusted with important diplomatic and military responsibilities. He was specifically chosen for his ability to conduct psychological warfare and communicate directly in the Judean language (Isa 36:11), aiming to demoralize the city without further bloodshed.
• from Lachish: Lachish (לָכִישׁ, Lākîsh) was Judah's second most important fortified city, strategically located in the Shephelah. Its fall to Assyria (depicted in Sennacherib's palace reliefs) was a severe blow to Judah. Rabshakeh's deployment from Lachish signaled Jerusalem's isolation and the apparent futility of resistance.
• to Jerusalem: Yerūshālayim (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם) was the capital of Judah, the dwelling place of the Temple, and symbolic center of the covenant between God and His people. It represented the last standing Judean stronghold, making the siege a direct challenge to YHWH.
• to King Hezekiah: Ḥizqîyāhū (חִזְקִיָּהוּ) was the righteous king of Judah (715-686 BCE) who had undertaken significant religious reforms. This direct address symbolizes the challenge being levied not only against the city but against its leader and his faith in God.
• with a great army: This emphasizes the sheer numerical and military superiority of the Assyrian forces. The great army conveyed a tangible, overwhelming threat, designed to induce fear and persuade surrender without a lengthy, resource-draining siege.
• And he stood by the conduit: The term ta‘ălat (תַּעֲלַת) refers to an aqueduct or water channel. Rabshakeh's positioning by (rather than at) the conduit signifies surveillance and potential control of Jerusalem’s crucial water supply, essential for a city under siege. This tactical move directly threatened the city’s ability to withstand prolonged pressure.
• of the upper pool: The ha-Bĕrēkhāh hā-‘Elyōnāh (הַבְּרֵכָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה) was a specific, critical water reservoir that collected rainfall and springs to supply Jerusalem. Its location was known and pivotal, as control over water access could break a city’s will to fight.
• on the highway: mĕsillat (מְסִלַּת) denotes a well-traveled public road, implying a clear and direct route from where Rabshakeh came, establishing the openness of the threat and ease of approach.
• of the Fuller's Field: The sĕdēh Kōvēs (שְׂדֵה כּוֹבֵס) was an area outside the city where clothes were washed and processed. This detailed geographical marker confirms the historical veracity of the account and also spiritually resonates with earlier prophetic moments.

Words-group analysis:

• The king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem: This phrase encapsulates the progression of the Assyrian campaign. The move "from Lachish" underscores Assyria's prior dominance over Judah and that Jerusalem now stood completely isolated. "Sent the Rabshakeh" highlights the specific, calculated strategy of psychological warfare to weaken the city's resolve and its trust in YHWH.
• With a great army: This powerful phrase communicates the tangible, overwhelming might that accompanies Rabshakeh's rhetorical challenge. It immediately establishes the dire, humanly insurmountable odds faced by Jerusalem, accentuating the magnitude of faith required for deliverance.
• He stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field: This highly specific geographical marker is profoundly significant. It describes not merely a military position but a scene of spiritual confrontation, echoing Isaiah's previous prophecy to Ahaz at this exact same location (Isa 7:3). Here, the new threat directly challenges Hezekiah and the Judeans to choose between human ingenuity/fear and absolute trust in YHWH for their deliverance and survival, linking the present crisis to past covenant faithfulness.

Isaiah 36 2 Bonus section

• Symbolism of Water Source: Beyond strategic advantage, a city's water source symbolizes its life and sustenance. Threatening the conduit implies cutting off life, forcing a desperate dependence on outside (divine) provision, as Hezekiah himself had fortified Jerusalem's water supply to prevent this (2 Chr 32:3-4).
• Hezekiah's Reforms: The severity of the crisis in Isaiah 36 comes after Hezekiah’s efforts to purge idolatry and restore temple worship, prompting the question of whether righteousness guaranteed earthly prosperity, or if faith required enduring even greater tests. This makes the Assyrian challenge deeply personal and theological.
• The Power of Intimidation: The Rabshakeh’s very presence, speech, and location serve as a masterclass in psychological warfare. Before any physical battle, he seeks to win a surrender through fear and demoralization, a tactic commonly used by oppressors against God's people throughout history.
• Precedent for Deliverance: While it tests faith, this episode later serves as a foundational example of God's miraculous intervention. Just as He delivered Jerusalem then, this event becomes a prophetic type of His future deliverance of His people against overwhelming spiritual and physical foes.

Isaiah 36 2 Commentary

Isaiah 36:2 sets the pivotal stage for Jerusalem’s greatest existential threat during Hezekiah’s reign. The arrival of Rabshakeh, not merely a military commander but an envoy fluent in Judean, signifies Assyria’s deliberate strategy of psychological warfare, leveraging their "great army" to break morale rather than engaging in a costly siege. The precise location – the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field – is central. This same spot had been the site where Isaiah once implored King Ahaz to trust God against a lesser threat. Now, it becomes the stage for Rabshakeh to question Hezekiah’s and Judah’s reliance on Yahweh against a far greater, seemingly invincible power. This isn't just a military encampment; it's a carefully chosen platform to launch a war of words against Jerusalem’s faith, implicitly asserting the Assyrian gods' superiority and mocking YHWH’s power to deliver. The verse powerfully contrasts overwhelming human might with a faith-based defense, initiating the theological drama where God's ultimate sovereignty over history's powers will be affirmed through His unique deliverance of Jerusalem.